


Like Something Out of a Storybook

by mothwrist



Series: Kallian Tabris [1]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Elves, F/F, Female Character of Color, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Female Character of Color, Teen Romance, alienage, pre game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-19
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-11-19 01:44:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/567658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothwrist/pseuds/mothwrist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short chapters exploring the developing relationship between Kallian Tabris and Shianni. Set in the alienage, before the start of the game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Make Believe (5)

When you were an child in the alienage, you had to make your own entertainment. They would play tag in the back alleys, or play hide and seek in the vegetable patch. But their favourite game was to play pretend, acting out the stories they knew. Mostly what they knew were the stories the chantry priests told them. They would play Maferath and Andraste; Shianni, with her flaming hair, would be Andraste, and Kallian would be Maferath. Shianni would give brave speeches, hanging off the fence, adressing the vegetables and telling them to rise up. Kallian would kneel and promise to follow her, her dark eyes solemn in her brown face.

Later in the game, when they got bored of fighting Tevinters together, or rather, Soris got tired of being hit with sticks and pretending to die, Maferath would sneak away from Andraste's side, and stage whisper to one of the Tevinters that he was going to betray his wife. Soris would then get a moment of triumph as he dragged Andraste away to be burnt at the stake. Shianni would stand against the scarecrow and pretend to shriek in pain, before Soris poked her with a twig to put her out of her misery. Kallian would try to maintain a stoic visage appropriate to Maferath, the great betrayer, but would inevitably giggle at Shianni's overdramatic death throes.

Once Valendrian found them at it, and asked what they were doing. The three of them stared up at him, slack mouthed, before Kallian managed to mumble that they were 'just playing'.

Valendrian only raised his eyebrows and said, 'Don't let Mother Luttrell catch you at it, in any case. She might not think it respectful.' Once he had walked away they laughed with relief. Soris shook his head at them.


	2. Tree of the People (7)

Kallian lies on her pallet and waits. Surely her parents are asleep by now? Deciding to risk it, she gets up and sneaks out of the house, stepping lightly where she knows the boards won't creak too loud. It is quiet out in the streets, and she grins to herself at an escape well executed. She makes her way to the Vhenadahl. Shianni is already there, her skinny legs dangling either side of a thick bough. Kallian skins her way up the trunk and smiles at her friend. "You're here early," she says.

Shianni shrugs. 'Mum had a few drinks earlier and she fell asleep before it was even properly dark. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've seen you, I've been helping her with her work. She says I'm old enough to, now.'

At this Kallian remembers the big news she had to tell. 'Guess what,' she says, 'My mum's been training me to fight with swords. Well, not real swords yet, we just use wooden ones, but she says one day she'll get me one of my own!'

Shianni's eyes go wide. 'I wish my mum would teach me to fight. All she teaches me is how to mend clothes and do the wash.'

'Well, if you like, I could show you the stuff she teaches me? You could learn too, if you want?'

Shianni nods vigorously. Kallian smiles. 'I missed you,' she says, and Shianni's grin flashes in the moonlight.


	3. Sword Fighting (14)

Kallian and Shianni sit against the wall in the room Shianni shares with her mother. They lean together with their heads touching, black hair mingling with red. Rough hewn wooden swords lie at their feet.

'Maker,' Shianni says, 'remind me why I do this, again? You're some kind of freak of nature; strong as an ox, but still faster than me.'

'Years of training,' Kallian says with a grin, 'and I have more time to practise than you. Even teaching you is extra practise for me. I know I've said it before but if you wanted, I'm sure Mum would let you join our training.'

Shianni sighs. 'She's not the problem though. Mine is. No offense, but she thinks Adaia's a trouble maker, that us learning to fight would just give the shems more reason to come down hard on us.'

Kallian rolls her eyes. 'They come down hard on us whether we fight back or not. We shouldn't lie down and let them.'

'Hey, I'm with you, but I'd rather not find extra reasons to fight with the old lady if I can help it.'

At this, they hear the front door opening. 'Shianni, are you in? I need your help with these vegetables!' a voice calls.

'Speak of a demon and she doth appear,' Shianni mutters.

Kallian snorts. "You love her really."


	4. Apple Cider (15)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The incident they're talking about here is Adaia's capture and rescue in Leliana's Song, for anyone who hasn't played that DLC. Info can be found in Adaia's entry at the DA wiki.

Shianni leans in the doorway of her friend's room and watches Kallian practise. Her dark hair is haphazardly bound up, with a few strands sticking out and swishing as she moves. Her bare feet are light upon the floorboards. Shianni watches the muscles in her arms shift as she goes through manoeuvres, her twin daggers flashing through the air, a sheen of sweat building on her forehead. A single candle burns in a holder on the floor, shining low light on her brown limbs, her movements throwing strange shadows against the walls. Then Shianni coughes and Kallian nearly drops her daggers, all grace forgotten.

'You'll have to react better than that to surprises when you're actually in combat, you know,' she says.

Kallian laughs. 'How did you get in?'

'Your parents let me in on their way out. Told me they were going out celebrating. They weren't clear exactly what they were celebrating, though.' Shianni says.

Kallians smile dims at this, and her brow furrows. 'Yeah, ever since Ma got back she's been like that. Upbeat, even louder than normal, but occaisonally you catch her staring off into space. She told me about some human who freed her from the arl's estate, but she won't talk about what actually happened there. I know she got caught breaking curfew in the city, but it hasn't stopped her going out at night. She keeps trying to get me to come with her, but I'm scared for her.'

Shianni comes closer and puts an arm around Kallian. 'She'll be ok. She's just enjoying her freedom again, you know?' She squeezes Kallian's shoulders, gently. Kallian's eyes meet hers, and Shianni notices how close they are. Of course, when they were children they were easy with each other, but these days they hardly touch unless they are sparring. There is a reason there, but Shianni can't put a name to it, not yet. Kallian steps out of her grasp and in a second her easy grin is back in place.

'Forget her for the moment, look what she left behind for us! She said we should celebrate too.' Kallian bends down and picks up a large jug Shianni hadn't noticed before. She twists the cork off and Shianni smells the sweet tang of fruit cider. 'Want some?' Kallian asks, passing her the jug. Shianni takes a large swallow. The taste of sour apples fills her mouth.


	5. The Taste of Blood (15)

'You shouldn't get into fights all the time, cousin,' Soris says, as Kallian wipes her bleeding nose with the back of her hand.

Kallian scoffs. 'It's fun, and besides, they shouldn't have said those things about Shianni's Ma.'

Shianni, who is at her other side, says 'I can defend her questionable honour myself, thanks. But I'll admit it was funny seeing the expression on that idiot's face when you punched him. It was less fun when his friends jumped in too, though.'

'Hey, we beat them easy enough, right?' Kallian says. They are in the alley behind the square with the Vhenadahl. Their opponents have long since been chased off and they are examining their wounds, or in Kallian's case, trying to ignore their wounds and focus on the fact that they have won. Shianni has managed to come out mostly unscathed, but Kallian had been in the thick of it, throwing punches.

Soris, who had mostly stayed out of the fighting, says 'Maker, you're going to look awful by tomorrow. What will Adaia say?'

'You mean after she asks for a play-by-play of what happened? She'll probably just be proud.' Kallian looks like she is proud herself. 'Whatever. We should celebrate our victory! Soris, there should be a jug of something in my room, go get it, would you?' Soris rolls his eyes at her, but he goes.

Kallian is sitting back against one of the buildings. Shianni bends over her, examining her injuries. A bruise is already spreading on her jaw. 'You need to learn to duck,' Shianni says softly, her eyes lingering on Kallian's cut lip, which is still bleeding slightly. She reaches out a hand, as if to touch her, but hesitates, unwilling to hurt her battered face. Kallian's eyes meet Shianni's and hold them, as she reaches out and takes Shianni's hand in her own, bringing it to her face. Turning her head slightly, she kisses Shianni's palm.

'Thanks for having my back there,' Kallian says, letting go of Shianni's hand.

'Kal...' Shianni begins to say, but whatever she is going to say next is lost as Kallian leans up and kisses her. She stops after a moment and draws back, her dark eyes searching Shianni's face as if she expects some sort of response from her. Shianni doesn't know what to say, she only knows that Kallian's kiss has stirred something inside of her that she hardly knows how to think about, let alone voice. Instead of speaking, she leans down and kisses her back. Kallian makes a small sound in the back of her throat, perhaps of surprise, but then her hands come up, one resting on Shianni's back, the other tangling in her hair. Shianni leans into the kiss, feeling dizzy, as though she is the one who has taken blows to the head, not Kallian.

They break apart when they hear Soris' footsteps coming back to them. He has brought the drink and has even found some cups. He pours for them, saying something to Kallian about her being as crazy as her mother. Kallian grins lazily, says something in reply but Shianni can't remember what. As she reaches out to take a cup from Soris she notices the smudge of blood still on her palm from Kallian's kiss. Even after they have drunk a little she feels she can still taste the salt of Kallian's blood on her lips.


	6. Mourning (16)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for (canon) character death in this chapter.

Kallian stares at her hands. _How could this happen?_ Small, anguished sounds are escaping her throat. She can't stop seeing her Mother's form lying prone on the cobblestones outside the alienage. She can hear in her ears the words of the guards, talking about how the _filthy knife ear_ had pulled a blade on them, they had only reacted. _Not that anyone cares. They could have cut her down with no pretext at all and gone unpunished_ , she thinks bitterly. She had sat beside the body untill someone went for her father. He helped her bring Adaia back. She is lying out on the table, covered by a sheet. Kallian thinks again about the guards, about their offhand excuses, about Cyrion sitting in the next room beside her mother's body, shoulders slumped, and she feels her general resentment of the shems crystalise into hatred.

She puts a hand to her cheek but there are no tears there. Her eyes are dry. She wishes she could only stop shaking so much. It is still night. In the morning they will burn her body. Kallain doesn't know what to do with herself, she just knows she can't sit in this house with a dead woman on the dining table. Unthinking, she gets up, paces briefly, picks up her daggers and turns to face the window, thinking only of escape. She pauses when she hears voices in the next room. It is Shianni and her mother, come to comfort Cyrion. She hears her father speak, then break off in a sob. Going to the door and looking through the crack she sees Shianni's mother embracing him, and Shianni herself heading toward her room.

Shianni enters, her eyes shining with tears, and she holds her arms out to Kallian, unspeaking. Kallian goes towards her, lets her hold her. She stares blankly over Shianni's shoulder, still loosely holding her daggers.

Shianni releases her, then looks down and sees them. 'Kal,' she says, 'what are you doing with those?'

Kallian opens her mouth to say something, to explain her half formed plan to go find the shems that did this to her mother, but the only thing that comes out is: 'Find them. Hurt them,' as though she is some sort of violent, overgrown child.

Shianni shakes her head. 'Not right now you're not.' Gently, she takes the daggers out of Kallian's hands and puts them on the floor by the bed. She helps her sit down, eases her boots off, and draws the covers over her. Then, instead of leaving, she blows out the light, and gets into bed too, behind Kallian. Her arms come around her, holding her tight. They lie there quietly for a long time, and while she doesn't sleep, Kallian's eyes finally burn with tears. Shianni doesn't say anything, there is nothing to say, she just holds her while she cries.


	7. Breaking Curfew (17)

Shianni isn't entirely sure about this, but nighttime jaunts out of the alienage have become a regular occurrence the past few months. She had thought Kallian might have stopped breaking curfew after what happened to Adaia, but her friend seems to have become more eager to take risks of late, and Shianni would be damned if she let her go alone.

She and Kallian are pressed against the wall of an alleyway, hidden behind a bend. Shianni opens her mouth to speak but Kallian holds up a hand, mouthes _wait_ at her. Slowly, tentatively, she peers round the bend. 'It's safe,' she whispers. The group of humans has passed. She stalks between shadows with grace, motioning with her hand for Shianni to follow. 'Maker knows why they're out so late, the taverns closed hours ago,' she mutters as they move forward. They reach their target without further incidence. Unfortunately, the doors to the warehouse are locked. Shianni grimaces. She looks at Kallian and and sees she is considering the door, almost smiling. 'At least it's not barred,' she says, before drawing back, a calculating look in her dark eyes.

Shianni barely has time to say 'What are you-' before Kallian charges the door with her shoulder. It splinters away from its hinges. Kallian kicks it in with a booted foot, and they are inside. Shianni moves quickly behind Kallian.

'Someone's going to have heard that,' she hisses.

Kallian makes a dismissive noise. 'Grab whatever you can carry, we'll be out of here before anyone comes,' she says, reaching for a small crate of bottles that clinks as she lifts it. Shianni snatches up a roll of cloth and an earthen jug heavy with liquid, a cork in its mouth.

They leave the warehouse the way they had come, moving from shadow to shadow, slower this time, weighed down by their new property. In an alley behind the alienage they climb a cart. Shianni holds the goods while Kallian climbs on top of the wall. Shianni passes things to her before climbing up herself. She drops down to the other side and as her feet touch the ground of the alienage she lets out a sigh of relief. Kallian passes the goods down to her, before landing next to her with a thump.

Kallian grins at her, teeth flashing in the pre-dawn light. 'We did it!' she says, nudging her friend with an elbow as they carry their bounty back towards Shianni's house. They walk inside, hearing tell-tale snores coming from the bedroom, letting them know they are safe from discovery. Shianni's mother can sleep through anything.

They stow their goods under a loose floorboard and Shianni laughs, relief making her feel giddy. 'I can't believe it actually went according to your plan. Usually there are more problems,' she says, as they sit down at the table.

'I can't imagine what you mean,' Kallian says, the corners of her mouth lifting.

'Oh, just us having to hide for hours in that haystack the time we lifted that crappy ale,' Shianni replies, looking sidelong at her friend.

'A minor complication in an otherwise perfectly executed scheme, you mean,' says Kallian, pressing her lips together in an attempt to control her smile.

'Whatever you say, Kal. I swear I was still finding pieces of straw in my hair a week later.'

At this, Kallian lets her smile spread across her face. 'I don't know how you can tell the difference, hair like yours,' she says carelessly.

'You take that back!' Shianni says, her indignation taking her out of her chair, towards Kallian.

Kallian catches her wrists and pulls Shianni onto her lap. 'Make me,' she says softly. Shianni's eyes focus on Kallian's lips and she leans down and kisses her. She feels Kallian let out a short breath against her mouth, before kissing back just as forcefully as Shianni is kissing her. Her hands let go of Shianni's wrists, then move to her waist. Shianni lifts a hand to Kallian's head, then takes a fistful of hair, jerking her head back sharply. Shianni kisses her neck, then bites it. 'Say you're sorry,' she says against her skin.

Kallian gasps. 'Not going to happen,' she says breathlessly, her hands digging into Shianni's thighs. Shianni bites her again, harder. Kallian doesn't speak, she just lets out a shaky breath that is almost a moan. Shianni tightens her grip on her hair. 'I didn't mean-' Another bite. 'Your hair is lovely, you know that.' Shianni bites her ear. At this Kallian does moan. 'I'm sorry, Shianni,' she breathes.

Shianni lets go her grip on her hair and kisses her again. After a moment Kallian draws back. 'Sun's coming up,' she says. 'I should get back home.' Her brown eyes are wide. Shianni thinks she sees regret in them.

Shianni nods, getting off her. 'I'll see you later. Maybe we could actually drink some of the stuff we aquired?'

Kallian moves towards the door. 'Absolutely,' she says.


	8. By Candlelight (17)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for sex in this chapter.

A candle burns low in a holder on the floor. Two cups and a jug of wine lie abandoned next to it. They had hardly drunk any at all. On the bed two figures are entwined. They are kissing so passionately Kallian is gasping with it, short, soft breaths let out against Shianni’s mouth. Their clothes are half undone, shirts hanging crooked where eager fingers have tugged them aside to better kiss an exposed neck, or shoulder. Kallian's slender brown hands clutch at Shianni’s waist and slide beneath the hem of her shirt. Shianni smiles, draws back, and pulls it over her head. Kallian kisses her again, on her mouth, then down, pressing kisses against her throat, then her collarbones, and, when Shianni moves forward, against her breasts. Shianni gasps.

She presses Kallian down into the bed, her hands pushing Kallian’s shirt up, and Kallian arches her back to help her pull it up, then relaxes as Shianni’s hands tug it over her shoulders and off, to lie discarded on the floor with Shianni's shoes and shirt and sash. Shianni’s hands reach down to tug at Kallian’s skirt next, fumbling at the wooden buttons, tugging it over her hips to crumple at the foot of the bed. Kallian skims her hands up Shianni's legs, pushing her skirt up her thighs. One hand slides under the skirt to rub against the cloth of her underwear. Her hands are tentative, at odds with the rest of her movements, her touch gentle, as if afraid to hurt her. Shianni thrusts her hips forward to rub against Kallian's hand, as if gentleness is the last thing that she wants.

"Touch me, please," she gasps. They roll over, so they are side by side, face to face. They kiss again, roughly, tongues touching. Kallian's fingers brush aside Shianni's underwear to slip between the wet skin of Shianni's inner lips. Shianni grips onto Kallian's shoulders, presses their foreheads together, and whimpers at the shock, the wonderful shock, of finally being touched. She raises her leg, resting her knee against Kallian's hip, to allow her better access. Kallian responds eagerly and Shianni presses her lips together and lets out short, sharp breaths from her nose, trying not to make a sound.

'You don't have to keep quiet,' Kallian says, 'it's only us here.' Shianni lets herself moan, then. Kallian, hardly able to believe this is happening, her heart beating so hard she thinks Shianni must surely feel it, circles and strokes Shianni's clit, touching and not touching, her fingers sliding forward and back, the way she's only ever touched herself before, hoping like hell the rising sounds Shianni is making are a sign that she's doing this right.

'Are you ok?' Kallian asks.

Shianni nods, then says 'Yes, oh yes,' before breaking off in a moan, her hips making little jerking motions in counterpoint with Kallian's hand. With one hand she presses Kallian's hand against her, the other clenching in her black hair. 'Oh Maker!' she gasps, her pressing her face into Kallian's neck, her whole body juddering against her as she comes, her hips rocking furiously. Kallian keeps touching her all the while, until Shianni lets go of her hand.

They lie still for a moment before Shianni reaches up and kisses Kallian fiercely. Looking down, she sees her skirt bunched up around her waist. 'I can't believe you didn't even take all my clothes off,' she says. 'I undressed you properly!'

'I got distracted,' Kallian grins, her hands stroking Shianni's back.

'Really,' Shianni says softly. They kiss again. Shianni moves on top of Kallian, pressing her down into the bed. Looking down at her, she asks, 'Did you mind this morning, when I bit you?'

'No, I liked it,' Kallian says.

'Good,' Shianni says, and she kisses her, before catching Kallian's lip in her teeth. She kisses Kallian's neck, then bites her again. Kallian's breath catches in her throat. Shianni moves up, kissing the top of Kallian's ear, then biting the tip of it. Her hand slides down between them to stroke Kallian's breasts. When Shianni bites her again she squeezes with her hand at the same time and Kallian moans. Her hands come up against Shianni's skirt, fingers fumbling at the buttons. Shianni stops her.

'Leave it.' One hand grips Kallian's shoulder as she she presses her face against Kallian's breasts, her other hand cupping and stroking them. She kisses Kallian's skin, then flicks her tongue over her nipple, feeling it harden to a point under her tongue as Kallian's breathing goes ragged, uneven. Shianni takes her nipple in her teeth and Kallian whimpers.

'Fuck, Shianni.'

Shianni stops. 'Did I hurt you?'

'Yes, but - please don't stop.' Shianni drops her head back down and continues her attentions. Her hands slide along Kallian's sides and she kisses the space between Kallian's breasts. She moves down, kissing her stomach, then biting down on her hipbone. Kallian gasps again. She pauses between Kallian's legs, looking up at her. Kallian raises her head up to look at her, her dark eyes wide, nearly black in the dim light. The flickering candlelight shines on her skin, bringing out the gold in it.

'Can I kiss you, here?' Shianni asks, one hand coming up to rest between Kallian's legs. The barest pressure parts her lips, and Shianni feels how wet Kallian is, against her fingertips.

Kallian trembles then says hoarsely, 'Yes.' She swallows audibly. 'Please,' she breathes, her eyes on Shianni's. Shianni nods, then bends down to where her fingers are. She gently touches her mouth against Kallian, then slowly presses her tongue against her. Kallian lets out a shaky breath, and her head drops back against the pillow. Shianni moves her mouth against her, her tongue and lips kissing, licking at the most sensitive, most delicate part of her. Kallian is breathing heavily now, her shoulders shaking gently. _Fuck_ she thinks, _I can't believe this is happening_. Shianni's mouth feels cold, impossibly soft and soothing against her hot skin. Shianni's tongue flicks against her clit and Kallian's heavy breathing turns into moaning. She bites her lip and then shivers more as she remembers Shianni doing that, only moments before.

Her eyes stare wide into the shadows above the bed and Kallian finds herself clenching one hand in the covers, tipping her head back and mouthing prayers mixed with Shianni's name, tiny moaning sounds escaping her throat when she breathes in and out.

Any self conciousness she felt has evaporated when faced with Shianni kissing her, touching her so intimately, so intensely. Shianni's hand squeezes her arse, the other strokes the join of her thigh to her body, then moves over to the opening to her cunt. Shianni stops licking her, looks up at her and asks, 'Are you ok?'

'Yes, Maker yes.' Shianni's fingers slide up and down her wet skin, returning to her opening. Kallian, lost for words, tries to articulate what she wants. 'Fuck me, please,' she says, and Shianni slides two fingers inside her, before lowering her mouth to her again.

Kallian cries out. Shianni curls her fingers inside of her, easing them in and out and inward again, her tongue licking her all the while. Kallian clenches her fist in the sheet, so hard she feels her fingers hurt, barely registering it. The candle in its holder is flickering wildly and she closes her eyes to shut it out. 'Fuck, oh fuck, oh please,' she moans, and then 'oh Shianni, oh Shianni', and she chants her name, gasps it, groaning as she comes, eyes squeezed shut, her mouth open wide.

She puts a hand on Shianni's head, stopping her, and Shianni moves up the bed to lie against her. Kallian wraps her arms around her, pressing her close. She kisses the top of Shianni's head, and then when Shianni looks at her, she kisses her on the mouth.

'Thank you,' Kallian says, pressing their foreheads together. Kallian kisses her all over, on her cheeks and face, tasting herself but not caring, and Shianni laughs.

'So that felt alright then?' she says, and it is Kallian's turn to laugh.

'Yes, Maker yes. Fuck sleeping, we need to do that again, before morning. Dad will be gone all night, I intend we make the most of our time.'

'Easy Kal,' Shianni says, smiling, 'I think I need a minute before I do that again.'

'You? You don't have to do anything but lie there and let me touch you, I want to try that, can I?

Shianni opens her mouth to say yes, but at that moment the candle finally flickers and dies. Darkness fills the room. Shianni tries to make out Kallian's face. 'Yes, I'd like that, she says, 'Do you want me to get another candle?'

'No need,' Kallian says. 'I think I can find my way.' Her hands caress the skin of Shianni's waist. 'So,' Kallian says, 'let's get this skirt off you.'


	9. In the Marketplace (17)

Shianni grits her teeth. _This stain just doesn’t want to come out._ Looking up from her washing, she catches sight of Kallian. She is helping Cyrion on his stall, calling out at passing customers, yelling prices at them. When they approach the stall she smiles at them, cajoles them, laughs at their jokes. Her grin when she takes their money from them is the widest.

Shianni’s hands still on the stained shirt without her realising, and a smile spreads on her face as she remembers the events of last night. Tilting her head, she tries to tell if Kallian looks tired, but she is positively vibrating with energy. If there are any signs of her lack of sleep, they can’t be seen from this distance.

She remembers kissing Kallian goodbye hours ago, breaking apart as they heard Cyrion come in. As Kallian had predicted, he had slept over at Alarith’s after their card game. He had smiled at Shianni and asked after her mother, told her she was a good friend to Kallian to stay over with her when she was on her own.

Her thoughts return to the present as her mother nudges her arm. ‘Shianni. You’ll be here for hours if you keep daydreaming. Here, take a pinch of salt, that’ll shift that stain.’

Shianni apologises and bends to her washing again, but as the afternoon wears on she can’t help stealing more glances at Kallian. _She is so beautiful_ , Shianni thinks. Her long dark hair falls loose around her as she springs forward, shouting, 'The best root vegetables in the city, and the cheapest!' Shianni laughs outloud, and Kallian's eyes fall on her. She grins, raises an eyebrow, and slowly walks over.

'Oh washermaiden, I fear I require your services, a clumsy shem spilled his ale on me,' Kallian says, pulling out the hem of her shirt with her hand. In the sunlight her eyes glitter golden brown.

'I don't think I can see a stain, Kal,' Shianni says, squinting up at her. 'It looks like you've escaped unscathed.'

Shianni's mother tsks at them from beside her. 'We have actual washing to do, Kallian. I'm sure Cyrion needs you back at the stall.'

Kallian smiles at her. 'Yes, of course, I just need to ask Shianni something, quickly.' Shianni's mother sighs in exasperation, but motions with her hand for them to go. Kallian helps Shianni up and pulls her into an alleyway off the marketplace. After glancing around to make sure they are alone, she leans forward for a kiss.

'Someone will see,' Shianni says, hesitating.

'I don't care,' Kallian replies. 'As long as we marry who they say when we're older, they haven't got anything to complain about.'

'True,' Shianni says after a pause. The old knowledge, the fact of their future marriages, sits uneasily with her now. She pulls Kallian to her and kisses her, pressing words against her tongue. Kallian kisses her back, her hand coming up to cup her face. She draws back, her fingers stroking Shianni's cheek.

'We won't have to marry for ages, not until we're eighteen at least, maybe nineteen,' Kallian says.

'That's in a year, maybe two years,' Shianni says, unconvinced.

'Like I said, ages,' Kallian replies, and kisses her again. Shianni lets herself be caught up in the kiss. _Two years is a long time_ , she thinks.


	10. On A Summer Afternoon (17)

One afternoon they lie in Kallian’s bed. The small windows in the room are open in the vain hope of catching a breeze. The city air is thick with heat and they lie with the covers thrown off, sweat drying on their flushed skin. Shianni traces a hand down the muscles of Kallian’s back, white fingers drawing spirals against the dark bronze of her skin.

Kallian laughs, her head pillowed on her arms. ‘That tickles,’ she says.

Shianni leans forward and presses a kiss between her shoulder blades. ‘Sorry,’ she says. ‘Maker, I’m thirsty. Do you have anything to drink?’

‘There’s a bucket of water from the well on the table. You know where the cups are. Off you go,’ Kallian replies.

‘What a considerate host you are.’

Kallian turns her head to look at her, a smile upon her lips. ‘It’s too hot to move. You want water, you can get it yourself.’

‘Fine, I was going to get you some too, but…’

Kallian’s laughter follows her as she walks into the main room, pulling her shirt on. Returning with her water in hand, she sits on the bed and strokes Kallian’s hair as she drinks. Kallian rolls over and sits up to kiss her. Shianni kisses her back, dropping the cup in her distraction.

‘Oh no!’ she says, and looks under the bed to see a spreading stain on the floor boards. ‘Your dad will know we came back here.’

Kallian shakes her head. ‘It’ll have dried by the time he gets in. Besides, we picked the vegetables like we promised, so what if we came back here?’

‘True.’ Shianni is looking under the bed for the cup when she spots Kallian’s daggers, lying coated with dust.

She emerges frowning, and says hesitantly, ‘You haven’t been practising your swordplay? Your weapons look like you haven’t touched them in… a while.’ Not since Adaia’s death, she thinks.

Kallian’s eyes widen. ‘No,’ she says, looking away from Shianni. ‘I haven’t felt like it.’

Shianni pauses. ‘Well, when you do feel like it, you could practise with me? It’s been ages since we sparred, I can just about remember which end to hold.’

Kallian tries to smile, her lips pulling taut. ‘I’m not sure I’ll ever use them again,’ she says softly, still looking down.

Shianni reaches out and grips her shoulder. ‘Your mum wouldn’t want that.’

Kallian laughs harshly. ‘That’s what I mean. Look at- look what happened to her.’

Shianni sucks in a breath. Kallian doesn't talk about Adaia, not really, not since directly after her death. She stays quiet, her hand still on Kallian’s shoulder, and strokes her back gently.

Kallian sighs. ‘She could fight, she was better than anyone with a blade, but what’s the point when we’re not supposed to carry them? That’s- that’s why those fucking guards killed her.’ Her voice breaks at the end of the sentence and she turns her face away, trying to hide her tears.

Shianni shushes her, putiting an arm around her and holding her close. ‘They didn’t know, Kal, they couldn’t possibly have known if she was carrying a knife or not. And if she was, so what? Humans carry knives around all the time.’

Kallian snorts wetly, tears still on her face. ‘Yeah but shems don’t have to worry about that stuff like we do.’ She pauses. ‘Besides, how do you know exactly what happened? You weren’t there.’

‘No, but I know Alarith was by the gates that evening, and I made him tell me everything he saw a few days later. He didn’t want to, but I was so worried about you he gave in. I didn’t want to make you relive it when you weren’t ready to talk about it yet.’

Kallian turns her head to look at Shianni, then. ‘You’re always looking out for me,’ she says quietly.

Shianni kisses her on the forehead. ‘You’ve always had my back,’ she says into Kallian’s hair, ‘and I know you always will. I’m just returning the favour.’

Kallian smiles weakly.

‘Besides, you’re just as deadly with these fists as you are with any weapon,’ says Shianni, lifting Kallian’s hands and kissing each one on the knuckles. ‘If you change your mind about the sword practise, I’ll be here.’

‘Thanks, Shianni.’


End file.
